Francesco Pallante Photography

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/isco72/

What kind of equipment (camera body, lens, filters, flash, tripod, cleaning equipment other) do you use?

The thing that fascinates me less of the photography are the technical issues: I’m interested in results, not in instruments! For this (and – I admit – for the money …) I’ve never had cameras beautiful and sophisticated.

I’ve always used a very simple equipment: I started shooting with a digital compact camera from Kodak (the Easyshare C330); then I moved to a bridge of Panasonic (the Lumix DMC FZ-18).

If I had to change my equipment, I would choose the most advanced version of the camera that I have (currently the Lumix DMC FZ-200). If I were to buy a DSLR, I would choose the least expensive among the full-frame (currently the Nikon D600).

What do you like and dislike about your equipment, specially your camera, and how would you improve it?

The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ-18 has two major advantages: the very limited space and a powerful telephoto lens. The two features are mutually reinforcing, because to have the same flexibility with a Reflex you should carry a very heavy bag.

The main drawback is the low performance in low light and the absence of a true wide angle.

What is your favourite lens, and why?

Consider the previous answers, I can not answer this question.

When you travel, what is in your essential photographic kit bag?

When I travel I prefer to be light and mobile: this is, for me, the main reason (besides the economic one) to choose a bridge instead of a DSLR. Indeed, sometimes even my camera appears to be too cumbersome and I think I should replace it with a compact high-end …

What kind of software/tools do you use for post-processing, if any?

I am not opposed to post-production. As I said, I’m interested in the result and I think that everything is permissible to achieve it.

For my post-production I use Photoshop and The Gimp: the first one in particular to address the quality of light and color, the second for the correction of lines (essential for those – like me – does a lot of photos of geometric architecture and doesn’t use a tilt!)

How long have you been taking photographs? How do you find inspiration? How do you take your pictures?

I take pictures from less than ten years, as I have already said my first car was a digital compact camera.

I prefer shooting in urban environments, especially in large, modern city. I love lines, curves, repetitions, reflections, details, color games, … If possible, to complete the composition I try to insert an element of rupture (a tree, a person, a colored element, an irregular reflection, …).

For shooting conditions, the ideal solution for me is to go for a walk alone, without haste, free to be inspired. I happened to find an interesting topic and remain stationary even an entire afternoon waiting the right situation (a movement of light or the passage of the right person). In many other situations, however, I made beautiful photos shooting in a hurry and in suboptimal conditions: these are the times when, at home with calm, the photo editing software is most useful!

Which style of photography do you like the most, and why?

As I said, my favorite subjects are urban geometric landscapes.

In particular, I am very happy when I manage to isolate, in a chaotic and multifaceted situation, some essential elements through which I can create an image that few are able to see otherwise. What is left out of a photograph is just as important as what is put inside and I believe that the secret of a good photo is in this work of elimination.

What goal are you working towards within your photography and when will you know you have reached it?

Difficult question. For those – like me – is a photographer for pleasure, I think that the main reason can only be the pursuit of satisfaction of his aesthetic taste. I like to look at my pictures, I like to watch them on a screen, but most of all I like to print them and, in some cases, hang them in my home or give them to friends who appreciate. When I had the opportunity to do some exhibitions (very few…), beyond the satisfaction in itself I was happy to see so many of my works printed and well presented.

I would say that the result is achieved when, even after a long time, I go back to review a photo: is the evidence that it came into my personal portfolio.

Looking at your own work, which piece is your favourite? Why? Please provide a link to the picture.

Hard to say which is my favorite picture.

This (La Grande Arche: http://www.flickr.com/photos/isco72/2464056384/) was very appreciated on Flickr, but in fact is not very original (there are many like this on the internet, even though almost none of them is very geometric like mine!).

This (Tour Moretti n. 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/isco72/6140015750/) has many features that satisfy me: few elements of the composition, geometry, colors and irregular reflections breaking the order.

Of this (Balconi in controluce: http://www.flickr.com/photos/isco72/3178924169/) I like the extraction of detail from the context (which makes difficult to recognize at first glance the subject).

Does your work fit into any one or more distinct genres (nature, landscape, long-exposure, black-and-white, infra-red, urban, artistic, macro, vintage, vernacular, social, street)? If other, please specify.

My genre is the urban landscapes.

Are there any photography websites that you visit regularly?

Flickr has long been a good source of inspiration (of course: as long as you know how to look wisely between the mass of photos of children, pets and flowers of your garden …). With the advent of smartphones it seems to me, however, that the picture quality will be further thinned.

The quality is superior in 500px. But the best thing are the sites of the individual photographers that I like.

What is the one most important lesson that you have learned since you started taking photographs?

How important are the others. If I was able to learn something and to have a personal style is thanks to the huge amount of photos of others that I’ve seen, to the advices and – most important – the slating received from photographers better than me.

And finally, what other interesting photographers would you like to see in this blog?

Inevitably, the photographers that most impress me are the ones that are closest to my style: John Kosmopoulos, Julia Anna Gospodarou, my dear Flickr friend Flohh – Florence Huschelrath, Angie McMonigal.

Also very nice are the urban shots of Rui Palha and the minimalism of Gavin Dunbar and Jeff Gaydash.